Supposedly a cult Bulgarian band with Ork's Count Vassilium on vocals, Iudicium strike me as a very Greek-sounding entity, which perhaps should not be surprising given the geographical proximity of Bulgaria and Greece. Iudicium's sound possesses an unmistakable Greek darkness, and tracks like "The Onset" have a definite (old) Rotting Christ vibe going on. If you are a speed freak, this band is probably not for you, as they prefer to operate in a rather lingering manner most of the time. Count Vassilium's vocals, meanwhile, alternate between deep roars and blackish screams. The band use keyboards and even a violin to add a symphonic quality to their blackened sound, and the more laid back tracks such as "The Victory in Ongals" and "The Shadow" tend to wonder into the slightly gothic territory, but such excursions are well balanced from the other end of the spectrum by the more intense pieces like "I Come From The Space" or the striking "Over Halo." Iudicium did not really impress me at first, but after several listens they did grow on me quite a bit. However, this may not be the case if you are only used to the more modern and particularly Scandinavian forms of black metal.

© 2001 boris